Tinubu Sends National Research and Development Fund Bill to Senate
President Bola Tinubu has transmitted the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026, to the Senate for consideration and passage.
The proposed legislation is aimed at streamlining research and development financing by bringing fragmented funding across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) under a central National Research and Development Fund.
The letter conveying the Bill was read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary.
Akpabio said the Senate would expedite consideration of the proposal to facilitate its passage.
In the letter, Tinubu said the proposed fund would strengthen research financing, improve resource utilisation and encourage greater collaboration between research institutions, academic bodies and the private sector.
He said the Bill was intended to “consolidate research financing, ensure more efficient utilization of resources” by bringing fragmented research and development funds across MDAs under a unified mechanism.
According to the President, the proposed fund would operate as a competitive financing platform through which research agencies and academic institutions could access funding for strategic national priorities.
“The establishment of the National Research and Development Fund will serve as a competitive central funding mechanism. It seeks to foster strategic collaboration among research agencies, academia and the private sector,” Tinubu stated.
The Bill also proposes the establishment of the National Research and Development Fund as an agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.
Tinubu said the proposed framework became necessary due to the proliferation of research institutions and agencies operating with separate mandates and budgetary allocations.
He argued that a centralised funding mechanism would help improve the management and deployment of available resources towards the development of science, technology and innovation.
“It is pertinent to note that with the current proliferation of research institutions and agencies operating within the research and development commercialization landscape, each agency operates with a separate mandate and budgetary allocations,” the President said.
Tinubu disclosed that the Bill had been reviewed by relevant stakeholders, including the Ministries of Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, and Justice.
He said the review was conducted to ensure that the proposed legislation was aligned with the country’s education, research and scientific innovation priorities.
The President subsequently urged the Senate to consider and pass the Bill expeditiously, describing the proposed fund as a mechanism for improving the coordination and financing of research and development in Nigeria.
